Automobile-lock



F. O. BOSWELL.

AUTOMOBILE LOCK.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 21,1919.

1,395,220. Patented Oct. 25, 1921.

jaw 67%??? TkZa/Zard Bowl/6Z5 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

AUTOMOBILE-LOCK.

Application filed January 21, 1919.

To all whom it 'may concern;

Be it known that I, F LETGHER O. BOSWELL, a citizen of the United States. residing at Philadelphia, in the county of Philadelphia and State of Pennsylvania, have invented new and useful Improvements in Automobile-Locks, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to a new and useful improvement in automobile locks, and has for its object to provide a simple and effective device of this character which may be readily and quickly applied to the casing or sleeve of a steering post of an automobile, whereby the steering post may be locked against rotation.

A further object of my invention is to provide effective means guiding .the bolt of the lock.

A still further object of my invention is to provide means in such manner as to prevent the removal of the parts until the lock has been unlocked.

With these ends in view, this invention consists in the details of construction and combination of elements hereinafter set forth and then specifically designated by the claims.

In order that those sln'lled in the art to which this invention appertains, may understandhow to make.and use the same, I will describe its construction in detail, referring by numerals to the accompanying drawing forming a part of this application, in which Figure 1, is a side elevation of a clamp for attachment to the steering post casing.

Fig. 2, is a plan view thereof illustrating its relation to-a steering gear which is shown. in section.

Fig. 8, is an elevation of the look, a portion of the casing thereof being broken away and sectioned to show the construction for attachment to the clamp.

Fig. 4, is a plan view of Fig. 3, a portion ofthe casing being in section.

Fig. 5, is a face view of the clamp.

Fig. 6, is a face view of the lock.

Fig. 7, is an inner elevation of one of the members of the clamp.

Fig. 8, i a horizontal section of Fig. 3, at the line 88.

Fig. 9, is a section at the line 99 of Fi 8.

l represents the clamp composed of the sections 2 and 3, the former having a hinge hook 4 adapted to partially surround the Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 25, 1921.

Serial No. 272,260.

hinge lug 5 and fit within the socket 6 thus making an open joint hinge and obviating the necessity of using a pintle and facilitating the placing of the clamp around the casing 25 of an automobile steering post 26 as will be readily understood.

Formed upon each of the sections of this clamp is a semi-circular boss 7 so positioned that when the clamp is closed these bosses will form a complete circle and from this circular boss project the lugs 8, and these lugs form part of a bayonetjoint as herein after described.

Projecting from the inner face of each of the sections of the clamp are retaining lugs 9 here shown as two for each section or a total of four, and these lugs are intended to pass through corresponding holes 27 in the steering post casing 25 .and terminate in close proximity to the steering post 26, but not to bear thereon so that when the clamp is closed around the casing and locked it will be firmly held against displacement or removal. These lugs serve the further purpose of preventing that portion of the casing inclosed by the clamp from being distorted or mashed in since the lugs lying in such close proximity to. the steering post will come in contact therewith if an attempt is made to distort the casing for removing the clamp.

10 represents a combination lock, the casing of which has a head 11 formed therewith and in the face of this head is formed an annular recess 12 having undercut grooves 13 formed in the side wall thereof with openings 14 leading thereto, said openings being adapted to pass over the lugs 8 on the bosses 7 so that when the. head of the lock casing is passing over the sectional boss 7 in such manner as to cause the lugs S and openings 14 to register the turning of the lock casing in the proper direction will secure the sectional casing and the lock casing together after the well known manner of a bayonet joint. 4

15 represents the locking bolt of the lock adapted to be shot into a suitable keeper cavity formed in the steering post, the shank 16 of this bolt is rectangular in cross section and adapted to slide back and forth through a corresponding rectangular opening in the lock casing and guided by the flanges 17 and 18 formed in the casing. This bolt is actuated in the usual manner by any well known combination lock mechanism.

19 represents a rectangular opening through the sectional boss 7 and sectional clamp, and corresponding in size and shape with the shank 16 of the bolt so that when the lock casing is secured as before described to the clamp casing, this rectangular open ing will register with the line of travel. of the bolt shank permitting the latter to be shot into said rectangular opening thereby preventing the reversed turning of the lock casing. Thus when the lock bolt is in its locked position as just described the lock casing and clamp will be securely held together-and in turn will be securely held upon the steering post.

The nose of the lock bolt 15 is preferably tapered so as to more readily enter a keeper cavity formed in the steering post of. an automobile and when said keeper cavity is formed in the steering post at such a point that when it registers with the bolt and the latter is shot therein, the front wheels of the automobile will be set off the direct line of travel, the automobile cannot be driven or towed without running in a circle.

When the lock mechanism has been so manipulated as to withdraw the bolt to its unlocked position the steering post will be free for manipulation for the usual purposes and under these conditions the device can be removed by simply turning the lock casing in a reversed direction which will unfasten the bayonet joint permitting said lock casing to be detached from the. clamp, thus permitting the sections of. the clamp to swing open on their hinged joint and be removed from the steering post casing. V

In order that the lock bolt may be held against retra ction by vibration I insert a small ball 20 in a hole in the side of the lock casing, placing a spring back of said ball and confining the spring by a short screw 22 threaded into said hole. This will cause the small ball to bear against the shank 16 of the bolt by forming a small depression 23 in the edge of the shank adapted to rep;- ister with the ball when the shank is in its locked position, the bolt will be held against ordinary ar or vibration.

From the foregoing description it will be seen that a very simple automobile lock is provided which may be readily and quickly applied to differently constructed automobiles so long as some portion of the steering gear is rotatable through thesteering opera tions.

Of course I do not wish to be limited to the exact details of construction as herein shown, as these maybe varied within the limits of the appended claims without departing from the spirit of my invention.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new and useful is 1. A look for automobile steering gears comprising a clamp composed of two sections loosely hingedtogether, a semicircular boss formed on each of the sections, bayonet j'oint lugs projecting from the bosses, a lock casing having a head in which are formed bayonet joint grooves for engagement with the bayonet joint lugs, a locking bolt carried in the locking casing, the shank of said bolt being rectangular in cross section and adapt ed to pass into a rectangular opening in the se tional boss and means for manipulating said bolt.

2. In an automobile steering gear lock the combination of a sectional clamp, sections of which are hinged together, a sectional boss formed upon said clamp, bayonet lugs pro jecting from said boss, a lock casing having an annular recess in the head thereof and bayonet grooves formed in the wall of said recess for engagement with the bayonet lugs whereby the sectional clamp. and lock casing may be secured together and the sectional clamp prevented from removal from the steering post casing, and a plurality of retaining lugs projecting from the inner face of the sections of the sectional clamp adapted to pass through the steering gear casing and project into close proximity to the steering gear post. 7

3. In an automobile steering gear lock the combination of a clamp consisting of two sections one of said sections having a lug.

formed upon one edge thereof and a socket adjacent thereto, the other section having a hinge hook adapted to partially inclose said lug and fit within said socket forming a loose hinge, a plurality of retaining lugs projecting from the inner surface of said sections adapted to pass through the steeringgear casing, one element of a bayonet joint formed upon the sections of said clamp, a lock casing having another element of the bayonet joint formed therein, whereby the clamp lock casing may be secured together, a locking bolt carried by the lock casing and means for manipulating said bolt.

4:. In a steering gear lock thecombination of a sectional clamp, means for hinging the sections of said clamp together and retaining lugs projecting from the inner face of the sections ofsaid clamp, a semicircular boss formed on each of said sections, bayonet joint lugs projecting from the bosses, a lock casing having an annular recess formed in the head thereof adapted to pass over the boss sections, bayonet grooves formed in the wall of said recess for engagement with the bayonet lugs, a locking bolt carried by the lock casing. the shank of said bolt being rectangular in cross section and adapted to pass into rectangular openings in the sectional clamp and meansfor actuating said bolt.

In testimonywhereof, I have hereunto afiixed my signature.

FLETCHER o. BOSWELL. 

